"Out On The Wily, Windy Moors".

 Yet another wind related song.  It's got to be that banshee/colleen from Croydon: Kate Bush.

I spend many an hour watching Kate from Hammersmith back in the late seventies or was it the eighties?  

Have any been lucky enough to see her live?

Kate was only 18 when she penned and sang and danced her Magnum Opus of a Rock Classic.

Any guesses?

"Listen To The Wind Blow"...

 Another wind themed song.  This one's by that English American super band Fleetwood Mac.

They are commercially successful like NYLON (New York, London) joint laboratory collaboration.

I nearly got to see Fleetwood Mac in Dublin a few years ago until I looked on a ticket site and noticed they wanted 150 Euros per ticket.

I hope all these wind themed songs isn't attracting the Autumn gales to our shores? Storm Ciaran is supposed to hit land and cause floods on Wednesday evening.  

Driving around the Peninsula today we noticed that everywhere is green and verdant after all the rain.  You can see why Ireland is called the Emerald Isle.  We even saw a whale frolicking about in Dunmanus Bay.

Another wind themed song tomorrow.

Talking To The Wind.

 I remember seeing The John Hackett band (Steve's brother!) performing at A New Day Festival in Faversham, Kent in 2022.

They played the King Crimson song "I Talk To The Wind".  It was a very good cover.

King Crimson are one Prog Rock band I would have loved to have seen live.  

I have seen Robert Fripp play with his wife Toyah at Cropredy 2022, Greg Lake with ELP at Manchester Apollo in the late eighties and David Cross at Loreley in Germany in 2017.  But I never saw King Crimson in their entirety.

I can think of another song that refers to the wind for tomorrow.

A Canadian Rocker And A English Goth Bands Song About The Wind.

 Rush, April Wine, Saga and of course Neil Young are just a few of my favourite  Canadian Rockers.

Here's Neil Young singing: "You Are Like A Hurricane".

I love this song.

The Mission.  A great English Goth rock band also covered the very song.  I have seen them a couple of times and they are excellent like their cover of this song:

Yet another wind themed song tomorrow.

A Wind Song About A Girl He Had Not Yet Met.

"Catch The Wind" was made famous by Scottish singer Donovan.  

I saw him at Glastonbury music festival in 1989 and I have seen him walking about here in West Cork  or even North Cork even, where he now resides.

The song is about unrequited love.  Even about  his future wife who he met a year after he wrote this song perhaps?

A timeless folk classic me thinks!

Another song about the wind tomorrow.  There's only about 43 songs to go.😊

"How Many Seas Must A White Dove Sail.."

 I bet YP gets this wind themed song in a milli second?

Robert Zimmerman and two lads from the Rolling Stones at Live Aid.  Have you heard their new album Hackney Diamonds? It's brilliant.

So what is 'Blowin In The Wind' about?  "What's it all about Alfie?" That was a hit for Cilla Black.

Is it a kite, it's staring us in the face..?  Answers on a postcard or in the comments box please!

Only 44 wind theme songs to go.  I am joking, I think?

Another Song About The Wind.

 "Wind Of Change" by the Scorpions is another Rock song with a wind theme.  

It was written/wrote after the fall of the Berlin wall and the probable end of Communism?

This however no longer seems to be the case and there is a war in Europe with Russia and Ukraine.

The Scorpions are one of my favourite Heavy Rock bands from Germany.  

I once saw them at Birmingham NEC and I have seen former members Uli John Roth (Kent 2019) and Michael Schenker(Ballyshannon May/June Bank holiday 2023) in recent times.

I have met German tourists in the Algarve and when they say they come from Germany I have said: "I have seen The Scorpions". They usually reply: "Yah I have heard of them" and normally that's the end of the conversation. 🙂

Not forgetting "Rock You Like A Hurricane". Another hit record for The Scorpions.  Apparently the definition of a hurricane is a wind that is faster than 75 miles per hour.  I never knew that did you?

They are a great band.  Enjoy the song:

Anyone like The Scorpions?

47 Wind Songs.

 Professor Google showed me 47 songs listed about the wind.

Here's one by my favourite Prog Rock band Kansas or White Clover their original name.

Did I tell you how I had liked them since I was a teenager and never thought I would ever get to see them live?  Then my friend emailed me and said they were playing in Warsaw.  This was back in 2014.  

Perhaps I will get to see Styx one day?  Any chance of you playing West Cork lads?

Here's a true Rock classic and hit by Kansas:

A Lyric Line Inspiration For A Song.

 I am always on YouTube looking at videos.  Music videos in particular.  

"What Colour Is The Wind" by Charlie Landsborough caught my eye or even ears the other day.  It's a song that  I hadn't heard for quite a long time.

Apparently Charlie was given Christmas presents like books and clothes and a friend gave him the following sentence to write a song: " What colour is the wind?"  It's something a blind child asks It's father. The giver of the song title said they couldn't do anything with it but perhaps Charlie could?

Charlie made the line into a song and became a recording and singing star in his fifties. 

I love the song and the child's imagination.  

So readers I have a question for you:  What colour is the wind?  

Polytunnel Dahlias In Flower In The Middle Of October.

 I took this picture and it really gave me some Autumn cheer after we had a months rain one day.

A part from a small puddle inside the polytunnel we had no flooding.  Unlike other areas of East and West Cork.

Fortunately we live between two bays so the rain water manages to drain away.

Dahlias originate in Mexico and Central America and they soon rot if left in damp ground over winter.  Some people store their tubers in sand until planting time next Spring.

They are a very attractive flower to grow.  Anyone else grow them or have them in flower now?

Halloween Brack Eejit.

 I went weeding and giving a general garden tidy up and cutting back perennials and shrubs and planting flower bulbs for a friend the other day.

Good old wifey had packed me my dinner which consisted of a pie, bottles of water and a slice of Halloween/Samhain brack.

The bracks are traditional in Ireland at Halloween and usually  contained  a variety of objects buried in the bread.  

The contents of the brack could be: a bean, a ring,  a sixpence, a rag, a coin or even a piece of stick...  This worked as a kind of fortune telling game: The ring signified that you would get married in the next year.  The pea meant that you would not marry that year.  The stick meant that you would have an unhappy marriage and have lots of disputes.   The cloth meant you would be poor.  The coin meant you would be rich and have  a good year.  The bean meant your future would be without money.

Any road I was scoffing my slice of bread and I bit a small metal object.  It turned out to be a shiny small ring just big enough to go on my little finger.

When I got home I told my wife that I had found a gold ring in the brack.  She said I was a gonzo and they are not made of gold.  They are novelty items for children.

The residents of Northsider Towers found this hilarious!  Oh well.  

Japanese Onion Progress.

 It's bucketing it down here today. So I went in the polytunnel to gather some green tops from the vegetables for the rabbits, young pigs and hens and ducks.

I took a photograph of the Japanese onions sets I planted recently in the polytunnel.  They are doing fine.  There's also winter onions planted outside.  It will be interesting to compare how they grow and how soon we harvest them.

There's also garlic growing in the polytunnel.  

Have you planted any vegetables recently?  It's good to see vegetables growing even on the bleakest of days like today.

A Phrase Often Heard In Hibernia.

 I spotted this in a car when we visited Killorglin Puck Fair a while ago:

Then today I found this video:

Well it made me laugh.  I am sure you can think of a few.  A few Tory politicians come to mind.  Who would you choose for your choice?

Firewood Smallholding Chores.

 One of my daily chores is to collect firewood from one of the smallholding outbuildings.

The ones in the photo I managed to find under the pile of wood that had been thrown in there this summer.  Thankfully these were saw off cuts that were just the right fit to go inside the stove.

Some days it's the bow saw or the axe.  Being a tightwad smallholder I try to recycle and wood to use for firewood.

We started lighting the stove every night and it takes away the chill out of the front room.

We are not putting the central heating on yet.  So we are saving money.  Chopping firewood also keeps me warm.  

It's supposed to drop ten degrees this weekend.  Brr.....

Have you lit your stove or fire yet?

"Potatoes 🥔Of The Night".

My spudatoes a few months ago.  Taken in the day time not the night though.

 I found the following video the other day and it is potato related.  

Sorry if you find any of the swear words offensive.  Swearing aside I think it's very very funny!  I don't always agree with some of the things he says but the following video I did find funny.

Enjoy:

"You See Me On The Tv Everynight..."

 I can't believe the news at the moment.  Especially in Israel and Gaza over the weekend.  The killing of the music festival goers really disturbed me.  Regular readers know I love Prog and Heavy Rock festivals in particular.  We all lost two years of our social lives due to Covid and the lockdown.  Then to lose your life enjoying the music and craic.  It's all so sad.

There have been and will be so many innocent lives lost on both sides of the political  geography and all we can do is watch the news or even switch it off.  I pray for peace for all involved in the wars especially in Ukraine and Israel and Gaza..

My mental jukebox began playing in my head.  It's from the nineteen eighties and by one of Lancashire's finest Prog bands: Barclay James Harvest.  Some of the place names have changed and conflicts  have changed but the lyrics still resonate.

So many  innocent children caught up in wars.  

Alcohol Prices In The Algarve And Over Here And In Blighty.

 Photos from Lidl in the Algarve last October. 1.99 for a decent bottle of Portuguese wine.  You would pay at least 5.99 for an average bottle of wine over here in Ireland.

6  bottles of Heineken cerveja or beer for 3.99.  It 13 something here.  

I am seriously thinking of having a break from alcohol.  It's far too expensive and would probably do me good both health wise and financially? 

I had a "dry " October two years a go.  I felt great physically but mentally I felt down at times and very bored.  I even tried none alcohol beer.  It was boring and water would have sufficed to feel the same.

I do think Governments put too much duty on alcohol.  It's  The Budget in Ireland this week.  I bet they increase the tax on alcohol? They always do.   I never go in  Irish pubs these days because it's too expensive at 5 .50 a pint and a taxi is fifteen Euros one way.  That's if you can get one?

When I was in Blighty in August I paid 2 Pounds six pence for a pint of Doombar in a certain popular brewery chain.  

Any one brew their own beer? I have tried a few times with beet kits but I wasn't struck.  Perhaps I never let them mature enough?

'Lovely lady..."

 I seem to be going back in time for my music.  Today I would like to feature English Prog Rock band Curved Air.

On Wednesday my friend sent me an email to say they are playing a Prog Rock festival in England next August.  

So thanks to good old You Tube I have been playing Curved Air videos.  I was surprised that I recognised one of their tracks and I found a few more that are great.

Some one in one of the comments under the videos said that Prog music is unfinished Rock music.  I think it's not a bad attempt at describing the music genre but I would say it's more than that.  Prog Rock is art and takes you somewhere else!

I love the hairstyles, psychedelic backdrops, 'Orange' speakers/amplifiers and the enigmatic and beautiful female lead singer.  

She reminds me of the lead singer of Jefferson Airplane.  Remember 'White Rabbit'? Perhaps she was the person who inspired Kate Bush?  

Anyone seen Curved Air?  I would imagine  Rachel or Yorkshire Pudding will have?

I am really thinking of going to see them next year.  Hawkwind are also playing who I have never seen but I have seen Hawklords and people say to me: "If you have seen Hawklords you have seen Hawkwind".

Enjoy the video.

England must be the capital of the world for Prog Rock? America, Canada and Germany and several other countries have also produced some great bands down the years.  I still have Saga, April Wine and Styx on my Prog/Heavy Rock to see bucket list.  What about ye? Ye? I have lived too long in Ireland and picked up some of the twang!

A Bread Van For JayCee.

 It makes a change from Pat The Baker over here:

.

A picture from our Algarve holiday last October.

It was 28 degrees.  Supposed to be 25 degrees in Ireland at the weekend.  I might go carbooting?  

Want to buy some of my perennials?  They are cheap to blog customers.

Organic Carrots Packed in Plastic Bags.

 I went in Tesco's recently and took this photo:

I asked myself why do they need to be packed in plastic?

Does it preserve their shelf life, keep them altogether and weighed appropriately or is it the hygiene police  who insist it is to stop us handling them with our dirty fingers?  Perhaps you know of some other reason why they pack them in plastic?

The "Organic" 🥕s are said to have been grown in the Netherlands and Israel.  So perhaps they flew them to 🇮🇪?

I was reading online the other day they have found plastic in the rain clouds.  I wonder if we get plastic particles on our shop bought vegetables?

Surely ("Don't call me Shirley!) The plastic packaging makes the vegetables sweat and the sugars turn to starch so much quicker?

What's  wrong with selling them loose or in paper bags or even bring back string bags?

Do we really need to wrap our fruit and vegetables in plastic?

Puss In Coal Bucket.

 Well I have heard of Puss In Boots.  But never in a coal ("smokeless fuel") bucket.

I called her "Minnie Mouser".  But everyone who lives here seems to be calling her "Muss Muss" because she's a bit of dictator like Mussolini was, wears black fur clothes and does what she wants.

She's quite adorable.  Even yesterday morning when she ate number one's sandwiches that his mother had prepared for him to take to work with him.

I found a dead rat 🐀 near my compost pile yesterday morning.  The smallholding cats are obviously earning their crust?

From Field To Plate

 Here's what we had for our tea last night.  Not exactly it was a few nights back to be precise.

What's more important than the missus asking you in the morning:

"What do you want for your tea?"

You instantly think: "Wetherspoons" but you don't say it because we don't live in England or even Cork City!  I believe there is one there.

A part from the HP brown sauce everything on the dinner plate came from our smallholding.  

What does HP stand for?  House of Commons?  

John Seymour the smallholding  writer nay guru is probably the biggest inspiration on my life.  Well a part from Linda Carter in Wonder Woman that is.😊

His self sufficiency books put me on the road to renting an allotment and now we have lived on our Irish smallholding for over 20 years.  I still dream of living in Portugal but I don't know if that will ever happen.

The above dish was the staple meal of my grandparents and I can remember eating it even on a hot July evening.   My late dad said his parents had salted pork  and bacon in a wooden barrel in the kitchen.  My grandad grew a field of vegetables every year  and even sold cabbage plants in Bantry on a Fair day.  Perhaps that's where I get my plant growing obsession from?

It's satisfying to know that the vegetables you sowed and planted and the pigs you raised now provide us with our food.

We are not self sufficient but we eat well.  Plus it's all naturally grown and very very tasty.